The Crank File: What I’m Reading This Week 9/30/2015

Happy blood moon everyone. Good to have you back for another episode of the Crank File. The last Wednesday in September is the clam before the storm. Surprisingly no Marvel books make it to the short list this week. But the first week of October is being called Monster Week and it is going to be crazy: Marvel launches it’s all-new, all-different universe with #1’s for Amazing Spider-man, Invincible Iron Man and Dr. Strange and even Secret Wars #6 is showing up late to the party. And let’s not forget Jughead #1, Paper Girls #1, Batman and Robin Eternal #1 and new issues from Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Southern Bastards and Miracle Man. But even on a slow week there are a few books that I’m super excited about. So let’s do it to it. Comics that is.

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

The Top of the Pile: Sandman Overture #6 Vertigo

It’s finally here. #6 is the final issue in the mini-series, and will lead into the events that started it all over 30 years ago in 1989’s Sandman #1. Sandman is my favorite work of fiction in any medium and is, in my opinion, the high-water mark for what story telling can achieve through sequential art. So this pick should come as a surprise to no one. Sandman: Overture has been everything that I have ever wanted from a Sandman prequel and I hope that it’s not the last we see of you Orpheus, Lord of Dreams.

The Mainstream One: Batman Annual #4 DC

If you’re currently reading any of the Batman titles, you already know that things in Gotham have gotten strange. For better or worse, Bruce Wayne is not Batman. Although I have no idea how Snyder will play this out, we can all rest assured that Bruce will undoubtedly wear the cape and cowl once again. The tragedy is that Bruce geniunely seems happy not being the Batman. A kick-ass Batman cover done by the phenomenal Sean Murphy and content by the immensely talented James TynionIV to boot, Batman annual #4 examines the relationship between Gotham, Bruce Wayne and the Batman.

The Indie One: Archie #3 Archie

Many of the successful females in fiction worked as duos. Lucy and Ethel, Thelma and Luise, Laverne and Shirley, Paris and Nicole. Archie #3 re-introduces Veronica Lodge the third and final vertice in the Betty / Veronica love triangle. Issue #3 will also be the final issue featuring 2015 Harvey Award’s Best Artist Fiona Staples. Writer Mark Waid will stay on, teaming up with artists Annie Wu for issue #4 and Crank File favorite Veronica Fish starting in issue #5. Loving that Jughead cover.

Last Week’s Leftovers: Grayson #12 DC

This issue was a great read. The prodigal returns to Gotham as Grayson takes a break from spying for a Bat family reunion. Definitely worth a look on a light week.